Article by HerLife Magazine
Written and Photography by Dee Yates
Leaving the Valley on a warm summer afternoon to escape the hustle and bustle of the town grind, you can slip up Highway 88 to the Sierra Nevada foothills and in less than an hour you will find yourself in a fresh change of scenery. It’s not often your first thought for a fine dining experience, but the Lone Wolf Restaurant & Lounge at Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort has just what you need for a sweet journey out of the norm with your sweetie.
When you leave the casino floor and approach the second floor, the first thing you will notice is the grand open kitchen concept of this beautiful restaurant. You note chefs buzzing behind the counter of the kitchen, preparing dinner service for their guests, white coats and open flame. There’s a beautiful wine library to the right, followed by a visual of the bartender serving up artisan cocktails at their full bar, where guests can unwind and begin soaking in their week’s end. Stay for dinner in the dining room or escape to the open-air rooftop patio for live music and cozy elements. It is just the ticket for a little date night away.
Lone Wolf has been Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort’s premier restaurant for seven years and is staffed with culinary talent from all over California. The newest addition to Lone Wolf is Chef Jason Azevedo. With his creative drive and the support of Executive Chef Peter Dicorti, Lone Wolf served us up some of the house favorites to deep dive into and to share with our readers.
We started with their seasonal Black Mission Fig Pizza topped with roasted garlic, chèvre, speck and arugula. It comes out toasty, crisp and fresh. Next up at the table was chile-lime Street Corn, fresh from Brentwood, picked at its sweetest peak and served roasted with chile-lime mayo, cilantro, pickled red onions and cotija. The street corn was probably the easiest to eat and tastiest I’ve ever had. We then were treated to their two “big daddy” entrees. First was the Grilled Caribbean Lobster Tail. Plated and served in a hearty and polished presentation, this lobster meets its visual expectation with quality, freshness and flavor. The lobster is topped with a fine herb butter and nestled up next to a steaming baked potato and seasonal veggies. Its land-originating counterpart, the blue-cheese crusted New York Steak, arrives to the party in a 12-ounce choice cut; it’s stacked on a heap of creamy homemade mashed potatoes and fresh seasonal veggies as well. Both entrees will ensure that your date night escape was well worth the ascension from the Valley!
The Lone Wolf Restaurant & Lounge is located inside the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort, 12222 New York Ranch Road, Jackson, California. Call 209-223-9653 for reservations or book online at jacksoncasino.com.